Breaking ground in March 2022 on a permanent home!

Christophe Muganza returned in January 2022 to see the 27 children, bring them homemade backpacks and homemade clothing from the Trinity quilting group, Christmas greetings from their sponsors, and to move forward with a more permanent home for them. He met with their school principal and found out that the children doing very well in school! The principal expressed how thankful he is to all of the people who support the children from near and far. Your support not only gives these 27 children hope, it also gives the entire community hope for the future.

Christophe saw that the children were growing and healty and eating more (as healthy kiddos, pre-teens and teens should do!) Actually house mom, Deborah, requested more food be purchased each month to feed the especially hungry pre-teen boys. Christophe discussed this with the board in West Michigan, and immediately more was allotted for the food budget per month because of generous one-time and monthly donations. Thank you!

Check out more photos from Christophe’s most recent trip under the photos tab at the top of the screen!

*Christophe, Serge, Ashuza, Asante, Alain, Binja and Janier on the way to school.*

Christophe also spent time with with local authorities and the King of the territory, to confirm the location and borders of his family’s land. He is donating this land to the organization to build a permanent home for the homeless and orphaned in Kalehe. This land had been in his family for generations and been left for Christophe as the only surviving child from his parents. The land is not far from where the children currently rent a home, so walking to and from school is about the same. Christophe’s land was tested for water availability, and was found to have excellent deep clean water wells to tap into. Currently in Kalehe, there is a lack of clean water. The older children walk at least an hour each day to obtain the clean water necessary for cooking and cleaning. Having a good well on site is a luxury.

This family land is also good for farming, and raising chickens (which would be something the children could learn to do in the future to help with job training and growing their own food). Christophe’s land is surrounded by his cousins’ land and homes which provides another element of safety for the children.

Below are the plans for the home. The plans were designed by architects who work near Kalehe, who are using local materials and labor to bid out the construction project. The new home will allow us to house twice the amount of children and two house parents including separate gender wash rooms, separate gender bunk rooms, and an indoor common area for all to gather for meals, studying and socializing. Because of the clean water wells on the land, water can be pumped to the house. Electricity will be provided using solar panels because the local electricity grid is not always reliable, and lighting for the children is key for safety.

If all goes as planned, excavation will begin in March 2022 and construction will take between 3-4 months to complete. We are beginning the capital campaign now to raise the $130,000 required to build the new home. Please join us and help us fund their new permanent home and donate on this website by clicking on the button below!

JOIN US AND FUND THE CONSTRUCTION!